How can I get my two year old nephew to be more comfortable drinking from sippy cups?

If you’re open to an opinion, here’s mine: this sounds to me like a matter that ought to be left to his parents. If his behavior actually needs to change, let them take the lead on it. It isn’t up to you to push him to take such growth steps unless you’re his primary caregiver.

I remember fretting about something a bit similar when one of mine was that age. The pediatrician said, “Do you think he’s still going to be doing that when he goes to college?”

“Of course not,” I said.

“Well, then, sometime between now and then, he’s going to stop. Let him do it in his own time.”

Two is really not so old. If his parents are fine with letting him have a bottle, I’d say don’t worry about it.

While I’m not his mother, his father is out of the picture and I’m often the one who takes care of him. So this situation is somewhat different. My sister would prefer he stopped drinking from bottles.

Let him help you pick out new sippy cups with his favorite story book or cartoon characters all the while enforcing this “big boy” shopping trip and this special treat for big boys.

I say have a special drink that is only available in the sippy cup. Nothing too fancy – maybe milk with a little bit of chocolate in it or some diluted juice – or even just water with some frozen fruit in it. Never offer the treat in the bottle – only the sippy cup.

I like what bkcunningham said as well.

Start him off with a plastic cup and plain water. After he dumps it on himself or others he’ll be more receptive. My two year old nephew was enchanted with the water dispenser on the frig. So I gave him a cup, held him up, and helped him work it. The look on his face when he tried to drink it and went too far was priceless.

Oh that’s a good one. My daughter went nuts once she learned to operate the water dispenser by herself. I totally forgot about that. She still goes nuts over the water cooler at the doctor’s office and will pour herself drinks nonstop.

get another toddler to drink out of a sippy cup with him…he will follow what the older one does every time.
Also an older sibling or toddler advanced in things like potty trained etc is an excellent teacher…all my kids learned from the oldest child, much faster than most.
Even learned how to read well before other kids his age.

Perhaps ask him if he still wants to be a baby, and if he shakes his head no, tell him that big boys drink out of a sippy cup and not a bottle.